Yes, No, Maybe...

I think the job search phase is nearly over. Maybe, with a dash of Almost. I'm a bit iffy about it because I've just been burnt with another job. I was the preferred candidate for a job with the DHS in QA and inspection but a restructure during the recruitment process meant that the job no longer existed, so although I am on file they have nothing to offer me. It creates a problem for them too - the work still needs to be done, but they have to keep doing it minus a team member.

It makes you realise what a difficult creature a government department is to manage. Change happens within an organisation at different times in different areas, and a sweeping reform at the top can undo or put on hold some really good work sometimes, if not carried out sensitively. There rarely seems to be a process that allows people to apply to keep a project temporarily exempt from blanket reform, to allow those tactical improvements to continue through periods of change.

In the meantime I've received a tentative offer with consumer affairs Victoria, working on a project to hand over some of their powers to the federal government. Although it feels pretty firm, it is subject to a grievance process where internal candidates can appeal the decision so I'm trying not to count my chickens just yet, but I'm pretty much failing.

Jobs aside, we've pretty much given up on finding a flatmate for the time being. If this job comes through, we'll be able to afford to live here on our own, so it's no great loss, but would've helped us along a bit in terms of saving money and meeting people. I put another ad in the paper last weekend and didn't want to live with any of the people that contacted us. Worse still, none of them wanted to live with us either. It's funny that I can still feel rejected in that circumstance. I'm such a sensitive little flower... ;o)

I'm getting very excited about some of our favourite people coming to spend Christmas with us. After being back in Oz for a year now, we are well overdue for a good fix of our UK friends. More on the impending adventures later.

Balcony Garden Beginnings

I've been slowly building a garden on our balcony. I collected a few pots during the last council hard rubbish collection and have been slowly figuring out what might be most useful. Although I started with a big planter box full of seedlings, I thought I'd be a bit clever and grow a few things from seed. But i wasn't clever enough to protect them from the birds who gobbled them as soon as they appeared. So I'm trying again with them, using some sheets of fish tank glass left behind by the previous tenant.

So far in seedlings I've got basil, coriander, thyme, chives, rosemary, mint and parsley. We planted a garlic clove that is going mental and I've planted seeds for rainbow chard, rocket and various types of lettuce.
I can't decide what else to plant in the big terracotta planter box. I'm thinking about leeks, strawberries, spring onions or something that climbs but I'm new to this and really have no clue what would work best.
Unfortunately the planter boxes are too big to hang off the railings but I did find today railing hangers for a couple of the round pots, which increases my garden size somewhat.

I'll post some more pics as it starts to look a bit better.